A few of the many reasons for the growing popularity of wine. Some wine facts, a little bit of history and wine reviews from an amateur wine lover for the amateur wine lovers

Thursday, July 11, 2013

Dave Matthews Dreaming Tree Wines

"You might know Dave Mathews from his day-job as a professional musician,
but his passion for wine making stretches back nearly as far as his love
for music. With a winery in Virginia under his belt, Dave’s no amateur,
but when he chose to lay down roots for roots in the California wine
country, he knew he couldn’t go it alone.Veteran winemaker Steve Reeder has called Sonoma home for over two
decades and among those in the know, he’s a bit of a legend in his own
right. He’s got an artist’s soul and he lives, eats and breathes the
vineyards where he made his reputation. (having made wine for Kendall-Jackson, Chateau St. Jean and Simi Vineyards.) Steve Reeder on wine: "I make wines for people to drink. I don't make wines for people to put in their cellar."

When you get two people together who share the same passion, interesting
things are bound to happen. Whether it’s finding the right notes and
rhythms in a piece of music, or the right tones and flavors in a great
bottle of wine. Steve and Dave know how to create something special that
not only entertains, but really hits the spot. Like the saying goes -
“Great minds drink alike”.

At Dreaming Tree, they believe the best vintage is pretty much right now
and the best pairing is your favorite people. Hey, there’s nothing
wrong with collecting wine, but isn’t it more fun to drink instead?"

Theabove is taken fromthe Dreaming Tree web site. I have often mentioned on this blog that I do not cellar wine and that I buy wines that are ready to drink now and loved this site when I first logged on and read the above. So, on my next trek to our local wine shops, I did not hesitate to pick up two Dreaming Tree wines available at one of my local stores.

The first one opened was the Dreaming Tree Cabernet Sauvignon North Coast 2010 ($14). Whoa, a celebrity owned and endorsed wine for only $14. Been fooled before, but let's give this a go. Dreaming Tree Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon,
9% Merlot 5% Cabernet Franc and a few other gems aged 18 months in oak.
With a focus on minimal environmental impact, the grapes are sourced from sustainably farmed vineyards using no
pesticides. The label is made from recycled paper, the bottles are
lightweight (1/4 pound less than standard) and the corks come from
sustainably grown trees. Starting to like this winery already.

Aromas were exceedingly delightful. Black cherry, blackberry with a little smoke, burnt oak and hints of licorice. On the palate, something was amiss. Some fruit, easy soft mouthfeel, but seemed very light for a CA Cab Sauv. I was, at first, a bit disappointed after having all these nice aromas, but did enjoy the wine with a plate of mixed hard cheeses. This wine will also do well with white meats like chicken and pork and maybe a cheese pizza or summer salad. For the average wine consumer, this wine will not disappoint and at $14, I would Recommend.

Second wine opened was the Dreaming Tree Crush Red Wine North Coast 2010 ($14).Big night on the patio, so I needed a versatile wine to please the ladies and this one did the job. On the grill, we did some salmon with cajun seasoning, BBQ chicken and some Gianelli mild turkey sausage served with a tomato and cucumber salad, fresh peas and salt potatoes. Normally, a white wine dinner, but this night it was a red blend wine and Dave Mathews music on the Bose.

Crush is a blend of Merlot 78%, Syrah 13%, Zinfandel 6% with a little Petite Sirah, Marsanne and Cabernet Sauvignon thrown in. Color was a nice ruby red with aromas of cherry, raspberry, with hints of leather, smoke and vanilla. In the mouth this wine excelled. Very smooth with light tannins, some acidity, dark fruit and some sweet ripe plum. Finish was medium length, but awesome with lots of fruit and just the right touch of spice and pepper. This may be the perfect summer red for those who shy away from the summer white and rosé wines. The light to medium body paired well with both the grilled salmon and the BBQ chicken. Excellent QPR and Highly Recommended.